New York to Grant Driver's Licenses to Illegals

By Michael J. Gurfinkel Esq.

Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York recently announced that by 2008, more than 500,000 illegal immigrants will be able to apply for driver's licenses without regard to their immigration status. In other words, illegals can obtain driver's licenses in New York State.

Under the new rules, New York's DMV will accept current foreign passports as proof of identity (i.e. your unexpired Philippine passport), without also requiring a Social Security Number, current unexpired visa, or other evidence of legal status.

Spitzer's announcement overrides a 2002 executive order from former Governor George Pataki, that required applicants for driver's licenses to submit a Social Security number, or a letter from a Federal Governmental Agency, saying that the alien was ineligible for an SS number.

According to Spitzer, "The DMV is not the INS [DHS]", meaning that New York is not in the business of enforcing Immigration laws or going after illegal aliens. Spitzer believes that allowing illegals to obtain driver's licenses will improve traffic safety, lower insurance costs for all New Yorkers (as illegal aliens are unable to secure auto insurance without a driver's license), increase security (since driver's license applicants will be photographed and fingerprinted), as well as raising or saving hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of reduce insurance premium costs and driver's license application fees. In other words, allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses will decrease the number of uninsured drivers on the road, lower auto insurance rates for all drivers, and, when necessary, help law enforcement agencies in their investigations.

Currently, a few other states also do not require applicants for driver's license to prove their legal status, including Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

Therefore, it is important for New York residents to have valid, unexpired Philippine passports as proof of identity, for New York driver's licenses. You can apply for a passport at the Philippine Consulate on 5th Avenue. Please note that I already had the Philippine Consul General, the Honorable Cecilia B. Rebong, on my television show, CITIZEN PINOY, and she has confirmed that the Philippine Embassy/Consulate does not report TNT's to DHS.

However, please be further advised that merely having a valid driver's license does not authorize a person to work. Only the Department of Homeland Security can issue work authorizations for aliens.